What Does The Fool Card Mean Or Represent

Well, if you could only have one question about the Tarot and Tarot cards, that would be it.

Many interpreters of the Tarot consider the Fool to be a central card to the whole deck. The Fool is a special card, even among the 22 of the Major Arcana. It's Card 0 (or 22 depending on your system). In a real sense, understanding this card opens up the Tarot - and a lot more. (Or so the really wise people say.)


As you may already know, when looking for meaning in the Tarot, keep going back to the picture; there's a lot more in them than a first glance suggests.

It's the start of the Major Arcana 'story' - a young person, a 'prince or princess of the world' setting out on a sunny morn on a wonderful journey - right over a cliff !

Not, you'd think ordinarily, a very bright thing to do!

But the Fool strides trustingly over that precipice, and, according to the Tarot, the trust is well placed. The whole 22 cards of the Major Arcana are seen by some interpretators as the Fool's journey, which ends with the World, key 21, which is about successful completion, accomplishment and fulfillment.

There are a lot of other qualities which lead to that success, but they would be worthless without the Fool's willingness to trust and be open to that journey.

Sometimes you have risk, to go against everything society says is 'sensible' or 'wise', to act rightly. It means the inner forces, the inner certainty, intuition - no, less tangible than intuition even - which is at the heart of great endeavors - or right action.

It says that in some things, you must trust your inner voice, not those of the many people in your surroundings and society willing to tell you 'the smart thing to do'.

Indeed, to many people, the Tarot itself seems 'foolish'. To them the whole idea of shuffling some pieces of cardboard with pictures to reveal hidden truths is in itself a pretty silly thing to do (I've met quite a few myself!) So in their eyes all who use the Tarot at all may be 'fools'.

I think we're pretty wise fools, myself.

The Fool is about those positive forces with us which influence us in our choices - trust, belief in the ultimate goodness of creation, ideals - the 'hope of a bright tomorrow.'

But above all, this card tries to assure us that there is a point to such an endeavor, that life has a point, that trust has a point.

And yes, if you look at the evil in the world, at the loss of young lives, at the failure of principle, believing in some rightness of existence, some point in hoping and trusting, can look pretty futile, pretty pointless, pretty ...foolish.

But believe anyway, is the message of this card.

In a reading, this may identify a need to trust ourselves, our inner knowledge or intuition, perhaps about whether it's the right time to 'take a leap', or whether it's not.

Just to complicate matters, if you use inverted cards in your readings (I do!) the Fool inverted can warn that a decision may be foolish, too extravagant, that there IS a danger in taking risks too casually.

So this card isn't about 'do whatever occurs to you, as it occurs'; that would be a fun, but pretty unsustainable life.

It is about being open to that inner impulse, learning to differentiate between it and the dozens of other urges and impulses.

And how does a person do that ?

Search me.

I know what works for me.We all need to find our way. Some people use meditation, aids such as the Tarot, and study of various arcana. (Meditation works for me, by the way.)

Others just lead their lives, one day at a time, and it just comes.

A paraphrase of an old Zen teaching story, but the closest I can recall;

A monk was out walking in ancient Japan. He encounters a wild cat, and as he is fleeing, slips over a cliff, but manages to grab hold of a gnarled root at the edge of the cliff. He looks down, and sees sharp broken rocks below. He looks up and sees the wild cat, snarling at him.

As he looks around, he also sees beside him a bush with a single bright, succulent berry on it.

He looks up, then down again.

He plucks the berry, and pops it in his mouth.

How sweet it tastes!

That's the Fool.

The wise Fool.

( Or so one old fool thinks.)

Books You Might Enjoy:

John Dee - The Hieroglyphic Monad Latin Version Second
Medieval Grimoires - The Most Holy Grimoire Or Grimorium Sanctissimum
Zoroaster - The Chaldean Oracles

Understanding The Tarot Reader

Tarot card readers can offer a lot of spiritual guidance to those in need through there gift of tarot divination. Spiritual guidance can come in many forms which can be extremely useful to the intrigued client. When visiting a tarot card reader, you should keep in mind that tarot readings are a great way to gain insight on what is happening, or will be happening in a clients life. Tarot card readers who offer psychic readings have a Divine ability to relate what they see in the cards to the things they see in the energy field of the client who is receiving that tarot reading, therefor offering them spiritual guidance.

The tarot card reader has the ability to take what they see in the pictures and relate it to what they see in the clients life. Tarot readings can focus on events based on the past, present, and future, and often provide great advice from a Divine source which will greatly help the client seek the spiritual guidance they many need when they are not sure which direction to go in there lives. The tarot card reader is actually tapping into the energy field which surrounds the client, and using the cards as a tool, or a guide to help the tarot card reader better understand, or get more detail on the information that is being received in order to offer the client spiritual guidance. Often times tarot readings give in depth understanding and specific details about topics including love, astrology, careers, family, any many other various topics pertaining to the future, as well as past and present which is an extremely useful method of receiving spiritual guidance.

Through experience, the tarot card reader usually develops there own unique way of reading and interpreting information the receive. There are many types of cards that a psychic can use to give a tarot reading, each one unlocking divine spiritual guidance that can change a persons life.

An important thing to remember about tarot card readers is just because one has a physic ability does not mean that the tarot card reader can give a tarot reading with any deck of cards placed in front of them. There has to be a connection between the psychic and the tarot cards in order to give an accurate reading with enough spiritual guidance and satisfy the client. In conclusion having a tarot card reading from a trusted tarot card reader can be a very eye opening experience filled with spiritual guidance.

When visiting with a tarot card reader keep in mind that the spiritual guidance you are getting is only being received by the tarot card reader. If you are not happy with your reading, or you didn't like the spiritual guidance you received, remember not to take your frustrations out of the tarot card reader. The tarot card reader is only a messenger between the divine and yourself. Through receiving psychic information through a tarot reading, one can truly learn a lot about his or herself.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - The Third Eye
Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - The Saffron Robe
Robert Wang - The Qabalistic Tarot

The Tarot As A Guide For Insight And Life Changes

Utilizing the wisdom of the Tarot for any kind of change offers many opportunities for growth and understanding, for the many levels of life, that we are now being called to live.

I have been reading the Tarot professionally and teaching for 25 years now. When I utilize the Tarot, for its wisdom and guidance, it is not with the idea, as the Tarot as the final judgement or outcome, but one as a guide, to see and sense how the inner energies of life are moving.

Prior to my metaphysical journey beginning, I was already very empathic and highly intuitive. And I have to say, I had a hell of a time verbalizing anything. There were times, I was so beside myself, with everything that I was feeling, that I could not, for the life of me, figure out how to put it to words, any of it. I spent a lot of time being and feeling very frustrated. It wasn't until I started traditional counseling, to heal and bring understanding and clarity to my own childhood traumas, that I was finally able to learn about psychic and intuitive awareness and begin my studies with the Tarot.

Whether the Tarot is read professionally or for ourselves, on a personal level, the Tarot teaches us how to get connected to clearer feeling and focus on what needs to be put to words. At 25, if anyone could have promised, that I would eventually experience relief with my abilities, I would have thought they were messing with me, however, relief has become my permanent sense of awareness. Not to be forgotten, the Tarot is not to be taken lightly. Whether we are studying the Tarot or metaphysics or spirituality, these modalites do change us. We begin a journey of growth and development, on an inner level.

When I began my journey with metaphysical studies and the Tarot, I began with the Rider Waite Tarot set; book and deck. It was a wonderful set of cards to start with. And it was a wonderful introduction to developing my already very intuitive side. I never had any preconceived ideas, that the Tarot was the outcome, for any decision that I needed to make, however, I would soon discover, that the Tarot, had the ability, to offer greater insight and teach and guide me, into focusing my logical mind, to be open, receptive and aware, to the inner promptings of my own inner knowing.

As this has been a 25 year journey for learning and discovery for me, 18 years with my husband and daughter, this evolution, came to us naturally. For everytime we worked with the Tarot for clarity and understanding, to the deeper patterning for a move, change in relationship or career change, the Tarot became a guide for the patterns of energy around the change and what was necessary for our learning experience.

How to plan career changes or life changes utilizing a Tarot reading. Whether you pull 3 cards or do a specific layout. Allow yourself to go deeper under the surface, for the understanding of the cards. Do you have reversed positions or negative cards in the layout? Reversed positions and negative cards are cards that represent a shift in our inner patterns of energy and emotions. How are you feeling about the change that is coming? When utilizing the wisdom of the Tarot for any kind of change, this is the time to ask the real questions. The tough questions, the questions that need asking. For any kind of change, this is the time to learn the most important of what you need to know. Any kind of change is about aligning to a deeper part of yourself.

Yes, by all means, utilize the Tarot for its insight, wisdom and guidance, however, you are the most important part of your decision making process and in the end, it is what is in your heart.

The Tarot, no matter the kind of change, will always offer another way, to connect with what is in your heart and your own inner knowing.

The Tarot is there as a guide, walking side by side on your journey, but it is not the answer to your question. In the end, it is your heart that speaks to you.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Thomas Potts - Discovery Of Witches
Richard Weiss - Recipes For Immortality
William Lilly - Anima Astrologiae Or A Guide For Astrologers
Paracelsus - The Treasure Of Treasures For Alchemists
Walter Scott - Letters On Demonology And Witchcraft

The Suit Of Wands Tarot Card Meanings

1 ACE OF WANDS

Meaning: Creative flame, creative inspiration to new actions, energy, force. Start of an undertaking. Beginning. Enterprise.

Reversed: False start, cancellation of plans.
2 OF WANDS - Dominion

Meaning: Willpower, will and courage in undertakings, militancy, boldness, influence over another, ruler.

Reversed: Restlessness, turbulence, obstinacy, trouble.
3 OF WANDS - Virtue

Meaning: Balanced cooperation between willpower and action, with great change for success. Success after struggle, established strength, realization of hope.

Reversed: Conceit, assistance with an ulterior motive, pride and arrogance.
4 OF WANDS - Completion

Meaning: Actual action after a period of long preparation, successful completion of a matter, attainment of goals and needs, conclusion from previous knowledge.

Reversed: unreliability from over-anxiousness and hurriedness of action.
5 OF WANDS - Strife

Meaning: Resistance, opposition, tension, quarreling, competition, struggle, cruelty, violence.

Reversed: Trickery, complexity, involvement.
6 OF WANDS - Victory

Meaning: Victory, triumph after strife, promotion, advancement, gain.

Reversed: Pride, insolence, superficial benefit, inconclusive gain.
7 OF WANDS - Valour

Meaning: Great courage in conflicts and difficulties, the reckless courage of a hero.

Reversed: Hesitancy causing losses, uncertainty, doubt.
8 OF WANDS - Swiftness

Meaning: Swift action and direct communication. Energy with the speed of light. Quick transmission (speech, light, electricity), sudden insights. Letter or message. Strike by lightning.

Reversed: Too rapid advancement. Delay or stagnation.
9 OF WANDS - Strength

Meaning: Deep inner strength and vision to manifest your desires. Power, health, strong force.

Reversed: Obstacles, barriers to overcome, ill health.
10 OF WANDS - Oppression

Meaning: Repression, excessive pressure, overburdened feeling, cruelty and malice, force detached from spiritual forces.

Reversed: Lying, treachery, intrigues.
PRINCESS OF WANDS

Meaning: The passionate, creative impulse that puts things into movement. Passionate new beginning (enterprise, (sexual)relationship). Vivid, daring, no place for fear, spontaneous, but not really with a sense of responsibility.

Reversed: Irrational enthusiasm. Superficial, theatrical, false, unreliable, cruel, domineering person.
PRINCE OF WANDS

Meaning: Swiftness and strength, fanatical courage, strong opinion, nobleness, generosity, sense of humor, impulsive, hot-tempered.

Reversed: Pride, cruelty, intolerance, idleness, prejudice, cowardice.
QUEEN OF WANDS

Meaning: Adaptability, persistent energy, calm authority, kind but sensitive to criticism. Process of self-discovery .

Reversed: Offensive, obstinate, tyrannical, revengeful.
KNIGHT OF WANDS

Meaning: Fierceness, giving everything in his action, moving forward in great confidence.

Reversed: Brutal, evil-minded, cruel, beware of untimely action.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Yacki Raizizun - The Secret Of Dreams
Archmage Bob Andrews - Old Witchcraft Secrets
Hermes Trismegistus - Book Xiii Of Sense And Understanding
John Dee - Testament Of John Dee To John Gwynn
Eliphas Levi - The Ritual Of Transcendental Magic

The Eternal Loop Of The Tarot

The eternal loop of the Tarot ~ connects to the eternal cycle and patterns of life. There are 78 cards to a Tarot deck, other decks may have more or less. Each card represents the eternal loop, cycles and patterns of the changes taking place in our own lives.

When our journey first begins with the Tarot, and we are just learning about each card and their meanings, at first, we will perceive only the surface of the meaning of each card.

Each card, shares its own story and each story connects us, to a level of understanding in our logical, intellectual and emotional bodies. The energy of the Tarot, teaches us, our human side, our logical mind, how to consider the possibility of a new approach, a new perception.

With consistent practice and use of the Tarot, something uniquely interesting begins to take place. We begin to enter into the deeper inner realms of our being, where our intuition resides. It is at this point, that we discover something different. It is at this point, that we learn that there is more to life, than the eye can see.

The Tarot then becomes the bridge between our logical minds and our intuition; souls knowing. Now with this new understanding and discovery, we begin to notice the positive and the negative aspects of each card. In terms of the "negatives" that we may perceive from our logical and intellectual minds, if we trust our intuition and allow it to guide us, we will soon discover that the actual "negatives" of the cards, whether in reversed position, or just the nature of the card, we will soon see that it is not an actual negative, however, an opportunity, to dig a little bit deeper, for soul guided insight.

The negative, that has always been viewed as a negative, just taught you, that negatives, with understanding and insight, transform into evolved understanding. As the eternal loop of the Tarot has its own story to tell, so does each individual, have their story to tell.

I began studying and reading professionally 25 years ago. In the beginning, I saw only the meanings of the surface of each card. Being empathic, with high intuition and building my clientele practice, with consistent use of the Tarot, I would soon discover that the surface was just the beginning. That there was a connection to the evolution of consciousness, when working with the Tarot, there would be an evolution of consciousness in my own awareness.

As always, when learning anything of a metaphysical nature, we step into new awarenesses with deep respect, for the transitions that will take place in our own life. We always have a choice about what we learn and how we learn it, for the eternal loop of the Tarot, will bring you to deeper insights and awarenesses, for the eternal loop for the cycles and patterns within your own life.

The eternal loop of the Tarot, is a journey, to experience, moment to moment and breath to breath.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Lady Galadriel - The New Book Of The Law
Max Heindel - The Message Of The Stars
Swetha Lodha - Your Love Life And The Tarot Cards
Anonymous - The Emerald Tablet Of Hermes

The Zodiac Forms

THE ZODIAC FORMS


ZODIAC AS ENERGY

The division of the zodiac by its crucial points results in the definition of
the four basic types of cosmic substance, substance being the primary necessity
for manifestation. As Rudhyar states in THE ASTROLOGY OF PERSONALITY,(1) "Energy
is not very different from substance. It is substance activated and released…as
modern physics has shown most definitely. Thus we can expect the principle of
"energy differentiation" to be similar to that of "substance differentiation"
Both are based on the principle of polar dualism, of action and reaction…The
energy-zodiac will thus be eight-fold, while the substance-zodiac if four-fold."
This division by eight is simply the bisection of the areas defined by the four
crucial points, giving us four additional factors, the mid-points between the
equinoxes and the solstices. These points refer to the area of maximum dynamic
intensity within the span or quadrant of the zodiac defined by two angles.

These points of maximum intensity are the four portals through which cosmic
energy flows, the "Four Gates of Avataric Descent." They represent the creative
powers of the universe, which are often symbolized by the Bull, the Lion, the
Eagle, and the Angel, which are said to guard the four corners of the universe.
In basic Astrological terms they are: 15 degrees Taurus, 15 degrees Leo, 15
degrees Scorpio and 15 degrees Aquarius.

ZODIAC AS FORM

The substance and energy that have been released by the zodiac must be
controlled and given 'form' in order to be manifest. All 'forms of energy' are
bound by the Pythagorean axiom "Everything is the universe is divisible by
three". All forms of energy involve an action, a reaction, and the interaction
between action and reaction. Thus it is only logical for the 'form zodiac' to be
based on the threefold division of the zodiac. This threefold division gives
rise to the 'modes' or 'qualities of Relationship between energy and form'. Each
sign carries the meaning of one mode.

CARDINAL, OR INITIATORY MODE
The cardinal mode is the form of energy expressed at the equinoxes and
solstices. It refers to the principle of change and momentum. It represents
active and intense life experiences. This mode 'generates power'.

FIXED, OR FOCAL MODE
The fixed mode concentrates and focalizes energy, thus symbolizing the principle
of definition and structure. It projects the cardinal experience, giving to it
depth and meaning. The fifteenth degree of the fixed signs is the point of
maximum intensity, where power if found in its most 'concentrated form'.

MUTABLE, OR COMMON MODE
The mutable mode 'distributes' the energy that has been concentrated and
released by the fixed mode. It symbolizes the principle of flexibility and
adaptation. This mode combines and integrates the cardinal and fixed modes
within itself. It distributes the power generated by the cardinal signs and
concentrated by the fixed signs.

ZODIAC AS A RELEASE OF POWER

We now return to examine the function of the four points or portals through
which power is released.
The nature of the power released through these portals depends upon the nature
of the energy used. The fixed signs, through which power is concentrated and
released, follow the cardinal signs, where power is generated. There are two
types of cardinal signs: those which generate equinoctial power (Aries and
Libra) and those which generate solstitial power (Cancer and Capricorn).
The points of release may then be divided into two basic categories: those
dealing with equinoctial power and those dealing with solstitial power.

15 Degrees Tuarus and 15 Degrees Scorpio
The fifteenth degrees of the signs of Taurus and Scorpio deal with equinoctial
power. Equinoctial power is generated by the intense dynamism of the equinctial
signs (Aries and Libra), signs of the maximum speed of solar declination. The
fixed signs that follow the equinoctial cardinal signs must arrest the dynamic
activity generated by them, limiting it and brining it into focus, in terms of
focus, in terms of purpose (Taurus) and identification (Scorpio).

15 Degrees Leo and 15 Degrees Aquarius
The fifteenth degrees of Leo and Aquarius deal with the solstitial power, which
must produce some kind of manifested activity, either personal (Leo) or
collective (Aquarius). The release of this type of power will be manifested as a
strong outburst of energy toward the focalization of the personality (Leo) or in
the form of a society (Aquarius).

The four points of release may also be examined in relation to the hemisphere of
the Zodiac in which they are found. The fifteenth degrees of Taurus and Leo are
part of the day hemisphere. They are involved in the release of "individualizing
power". The fifteenth degrees of Scorpio and Aquarius are involved in the
release of collectivizing power (night hemisphere), of the expansion of the
individual into the collective or universal realms.

CYCLIC FORMULAS OF THE FOUR PORTALS

15 Degrees Taurus (the Bull) represents the power released toward the formation
of an individual being.

15 Degrees Leo (the Lion) symbolizes the power released by the individual being.

15 Degrees Scorpio (the Eagle) represents the power released toward the
formation of the universal being.

15 Degrees Aquarius (the Angel) symbolizes the power released by universal
being.

CYCLIC FORMULA OF THE ELEMENTS AND MODES

At spring equinox:
Fire power is generated by Aries
Then concentrated through earth – Taurus
And distributed by air – Gemini

At summer solstice:
Water power is generated by Cancer
Then concentrated through fire – Leo
And distributed by earth – Virgo

At autumnal equinox:
Air power is generated by Libra
Then concentrated through water – Scorpio
And distributed by fire – Sagittarius

At winter solstice:
Earth power is generated by Capricorn
Then concentrated through air – Aquarius
And distributed by water

From "A Handbook for the Humanistic Astrologer", by Michael R. Meyer, Anchor
Press/Doubleday pages 50-53.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Aleister Crowley - The Zodiac And The Tarot
Richard Johnson - The Zodiac Stellar Stories
Ona - The Dark Forces

Tarot Decks Come In Three Flavors

Interested in learning how to read Tarot cards? If so, one of your first decisions will be "What style of deck should I use".

Although there are now hundreds of varieties of Tarot decks, most fall into one of three general styles -- Marseilles, Rider-Waite-Smith (also called Rider-Waite, or just RWS), and Thoth.

There are typically 78 cards in a Tarot deck -- 14 cards in each of four different suits, plus an extra 22 cards called the "Trump" cards. These 22 trump cards are known as the Major Arcana, the remaining 56 cards are called the Minor Arcana. It's the treatement of the Major and Minor Arcana that determines which general style your deck follows.

The first style -- Marseilles -- follows the traditional, old-school style found in early Tarot decks. The artwork on the Major Arcana tends to be simple and limited to only a few colors. The Minor Arcana looks much like ordinary playing cards -- there are four face cards (King, Queen, Knight, Page) and 10 "pip" cards (Ace through Ten). Again, the artwork on the face cards tends to be simple. The pip cards don't have artwork other than a "pip" count. For instance, a Five of Swords will have five swords depicted on the card.

The Marseilles style looks so much like playing cards because Tarot decks were originally used to play a card game! It wasn't until later that mystics began to use these decks for divinatory purposes.

The second style of deck -- RWS (After Rider, the publisher, Waite, the designer, and Smith, the artist) -- was published in the early 1900's. It was designed from the very beginning for magickal use.

Because of this, the artwork is much more complex and symbolic. The Major Arcana and the face cards are much more colorful, lifelike, and detailed. It's the Minor Arcana, though, where you'll find the main difference.

Rather than use pip simple counts, the artist (Pamela Coleman Smith -- who also illustrated childrens adventure stories) decided to draw vignettes of people engaged in some phase of everyday life. Because of this, the pip card images touch your subjective mind and yield many thoughtful perspectives -- what are the people thinking, what are their motivations, what are their fears, etc -- to enrich Tarot readings.

The final deck style is the Thoth style -- named after a deck designed by Aleister Crowley and painted by Lady Freida Harris. The Thoth deck was intended for magickal use from the very beginning. The paintings are surrealistic and highly symbolic. Thoth adds a new technique to the mix, though. Each non-face card of the Minor Arcana has a subheading describing some motivation or aspect -- things like Happiness, Luxury, Virtue, Oppression, etc. Because of this, some readers find it easy to read with Thoth decks. Thoth decks also make it easy to draw from other esoteric disciplines -- astrology or Kabbalah, for example -- in order to create inspired Tarot readings.

Most decks you'll find in a bookstore will follow one of these three basic styles. Marseilles styles will use pip counts, RWS styles will use pip scenes, and Thoth styles tend to be surrealistic but label the Minor Arcana with additional descriptions.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Anonymous - Starting A New Coven Looking At Yourself
Nicolas Schreck - Demons Of The Flesh
Aristotle - On The Soul
Thomas Potts - Discovery Of Witches
Arlo Bates - The Pagans

Tarot Card Meaning Made Easy

Tarot predictions and interpretation heavily rely on tarot card meaning without which they would not be possible; each card has a significance and a peculiar symbolism attached to it. What people don't get to understand is that the overall spread and the card combinations give the full tarot card meaning to define a certain life aspect. For instance, in the Rider Waite tarot, the tarot learner has to know the meaning for all the seventy eight cards in order to be able to read them. From the King and the Queen to the Fool, the tarot cards can be studied, analyzed and understood depending on the sensible nature of every user.

In time all sorts of changes became manifest in tarot card reading; for people who are no strangers to the Kabbalah or alchemy, the symbols similarity cannot pass unnoticed. Thus, all sorts of symbols have been added in time so that the present-day form of the decks is a very complex one. It is also common practice to complicate things even further by personalizing the cards and adding other subtle interpretations to the decks. Thus, many amateur philosophers have their own interpretations of the mystic representations in alchemy and the Kabbalah and they choose to add them to the cards.

The tarot card meaning greatly varies depending on the interpretation; thus, a single card can be given different explanations in relation with the position it occupies in the spread and the vicinity with the rest of the cards. Very often, according to the reader's own judgment and common sense, a tarot card meaning can prove little relevance for the question under debate and thus be discarded. While in the Major Arcana, the figures have very distinct symbolism, in the Minor Arcana the emphasis is on the four alchemical elements to which the cards correspond. Thus, the pentagrams stand for earth, the wands for fire, the cups for water and the swords for air.

In general lines, the tarot card meaning gives one a clue about the way he/she goes through the personal journey: sometimes one can even see whether one is on the right path or has strayed away. This tarot card meaning is obvious for the spreads in the Major Arcana where each card matches a certain life aspect: the fool stands for the beginning of a journey, the magician shows you the path towards wisdom, the high priestess speaks of self-balance, the empress points to pleasure, wealth and love, while the emperor represents claimed power and authority, and so on and so forth.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Harold Macgrath - The Pagan Madonna
Israel Regardie - The Art And Meaning Of Magic
Zoroaster - The Chaldean Oracles
Sepharial - Primary Directions Made Easy

Nine Of Swords Meditation For Troubled Worries

Tarot Affirmations are positive statements using the Tarot, to center ourselves while energizing our Mojo! My goal is to help invigorate higher vibrations with creative visualization for self-awareness, while enhancing one's perspective, confidence, and productivity. Becoming part of the imagery is a necessity as it allows all senses to be encountered. Proclaiming and vocalizing your personal statement out-loud 'seals your agreement' with the Universe. Disciplined practitioners sense a significant change within seventy-two hours of repeating the oath. Inexperienced users must understand that it can take a little longer until you find your own rhythm to encounter the magic of will and assertion.

Meditation: Sit for a few minutes alone, with eyes closed and a goal to relax. Calm all thoughts and emotions until you are aware of the quietness that surrounds you. With slow and deep breaths, feel yourself float into this calm energy, feeling your body and mind also adjusting to this quietness. All the noise disappears and you feel at peace. Pay attention to the soundless spirit, as you cleanse and exist with silence.

Visualization: Today's card image can assist you in this meditative affirmation. We can start by thinking about the thoughts that have caused us doubt and confusion. What mental images do we focus on repetitively that create stress and fear in our lives? Like the nightmarish image in the card, we are the sole creator of our own inner torment. Understand that as we allow a disturbing snapshot of worry to live in our mind, another will breed from it, like bacteria. We know that this isn't good for us, but we choose to carry it along with us - throughout our day, and our night.

Think about your the bothering thoughts that cause you an uneasy feeling, the ones that you can not put to rest. Imagine each of these frightful thoughts hanging above you, dangling about like an unwanted friend. Anxiety and fear are not good companions. Visualize the negative energy floating over top of you, while paying attention to your body and the way it feels when inconvenience enters your world. Feel the pressure it causes. It doesn't feel very good, but again, you choose to carry it around with you. Continuing to visualize, reach above and grab your 'worry'. Hold it, and quickly slip it beneath your bottom. That's right, you're going to sit on it. If you have other worry's' up above you, do the same and slip them under you. You're going to force those towering thoughts of negativity to submit to you. They are not worthy, and by taking control - you give them an inferior status. Wiggle your butt, gently bounce, and flatten useless troubles of 'potential possibilities' and 'what if's'. Squash them hard, and smash those homies.

After you have shifted your body about, crushing what has been plaguing you... sit back and relax. Breathe with a long sigh of relief. Enjoy the position that you are in. You have complete control over your imagined problems. You have power over your mind again. Notice a feeling of pure emptiness that surrounds you. Your head is clear, your shoulders relax, your muscles lose tension. Breathe and release whatever ounce of worry might be left. Let it all out - and imagine it like a feather, floating from your breath. Let it fall to the floor so that you are ready to leave the room, you can step on it as you rise. The heavy weight that has been a burden is released, and only you have the power to keep it at a distance.

The Affirm: While being one with yourself, announce your trusted affirmation:
Worries are beneath me.
My mind is empty and at peace.
I see the world as it is, not as I imagine.

Now go get your mantra on!

Books You Might Enjoy:

Saint John Of The Cross - Dark Night Of The Soul
Order Of The Golden Dawn - Theoricus Initiation Of The Hermetic Order Of The Golden Dawn
Order Of The Golden Dawn - Meditation With The Archangel Auriel
Brian Swimme On Chardin - The Divinization Of The Cosmos
Anonymous - Meditation Of The Four Magickal Weapons

Major Arcana Road Jokes

How did the Fool cross the road?
Walking softly and carrying a big stick.

Why did the Fool cross the road?
To get that yappy little dog off his heels.

Why did the Magician cross the road?
To manifest his desires into reality.

How did the Magician cross the road?
Backwards, to deliberately obscure his crossing.

How did the High Priestess cross the road?
She didn't, she knew it wasn't her time to cross the road.

How did the Empress cross the road?
With her heart in her hands.

Why did the Empress cross the road?
Well, someone had to do it!

How did the Emperor cross the road?
He's too uptight to cross the road and besides this is
HIS side of the road.(see "The Testrophobical Thing")

Why did the Emperor cross the road?
They have cable.

Why did the Emperor cross the road to Canada?
They have cable, beer and Hockey Night in Canada.

Why did the Emperor cross the road?
The Empress took the converter.

Why did the Emperor and the Hierophant cross the road?
To avoid treatment for advanced testosterone poisoning (aka
Male Bonding).

How did the Heirophant cross the road?
At the crosswalk.

Why did the Heirophant cross the road?
He saw a sign.

How did the Lovers cross the road?
It was their choice.

Why did the Lovers cross the road?
They had to come out to forage for food sometime.

How did the Chariot cross the road?
0-90 in .5

Why did the Chariot cross the road?
He was looking for Resolution.



Books You Might Enjoy:

Frater Achad - Liber 31
Jester Raiin - Major Arcana 2nd Update And 1st Typohunt
Michael Majerus - Atalanta Fugiens
John Yarker - Arcane Schools

Is Becoming A Tarot Reader Right For You

Is Becoming a Tarot Reader right for you? ~ First, I have to say, that at 25, I had never anticipated becoming a Tarot reader, much less a teacher of consciousness. Although, I was very empathic and very intuitive as a kid, and certain things made themselves known to me, earlier in my life, including the Tarot showing up at unusual times, becoming a Tarot reader was not a logical thought for me.

As a kid, I had had many inner knowings present themselves to me. As a Catholic/Italian, inner knowing/visions were not common in our house, however, this did not stop my intuition from speaking to me or quietly guiding me. At 16, I came across the Rider Waite Tarot, from the person that would be my husband, in a few more years. Prior to seeing the cards, I had had many dreams about gypsy caravans in Europe. I would later discover, that I had been having dreams about my grandfather and his adoptive family. They were band of traveling gypsies. My great grandmother did readings and palmistry. It was after recuperating, from one of my many knee surgeries, that I finally told my mother about my dreams.

At this point, I was once again able to put the idea of the Tarot away and get back to my so called normal life, that is until I started a new job and met my mentor, teacher and friend, that could see auras and read the Tarot. As she was not into pushing the point, she one day proceeded to share a very psychic story with me and I just happen to ask if it was possible to learn about psychic stuff. Of course her answer was yes. I asked if it was possible to learn the Tarot. Of course, the answer was yes. And although, I wanted to learn the Tarot, at that point, I was not interested, nor was I intending on doing the Tarot professionally, but I was so called for this to be a part of my journey.

And a journey it was. It is only now, 25 years later, that once I began reading the Tarot, once again, my instincts and high intuition was my guide on this journey. I would eventually discover, that once we begin working with the Tarot, whether for ourselves or for others, we are actually opening Pandora's Box. Pandora's Box being that the Tarot represents energy and expanded and evolved levels of awareness. That the more readings we do for ourselves and for others, the more that what was once normal, begins to change, evolve and grow.

At first, this might not be the actual experience, at least to the naked human eye.

Becoming a Tarot reader changes our life, changes our perceptions into ones of expanded awareness. It also changes our approaches to life. I never was able to have a normal, matter of fact idea about reading the Tarot. The Tarot became a guide and a journey almost immediately and the journey was going to be an inner journey. For this journey, my intuition was my teacher and my guide, and my ego was only allowed to come along for the ride. Reading the Tarot, early on, became a journey of inner discovery. As I have discovered, the purpose of a Tarot reading, was not one of prediction or taking the right for choice away from another, but one to assist and guide on our journey to life.

So, if you really feel the call to become a Tarot reader, as I have taught in my classes, get a really good book and Tarot cards. Read the book with an open and receptive mind. Pay attention to what you feel drawn to; whether it is the origin of the cards, the symbolism, the colors and keep a journal. Learning the Tarot is not an overnight experience, but a journey of experience. it opens us to the deeper meaning of life and guides us with wisdom and knowing, and most importantly, keep a journal, for there will be a time, when you will pull each individual card and ask your inner knowing and your intuition to guide you to the story that each Tarot card would like to share. The Tarot is an inner journey of awakening, calling for deep respect for yourself and for others on the journey with you.

How to become a Tarot Reader, listen to your heart, listen to the voice and the wisdom of your soul, for becoming a Tarot reader offers many opportunities for personal growth and change.

The Tarot does have its story to share, take your time and enjoy your inner journey to transformation.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Sri Swami Sivananda - Thought Power
Aleister Crowley - Which Things Are An Allegory
Carl Mccolman - The Well Read Witch
Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - The Rampa Story
Thomas Moore - Candle Magick For Love

How To Do A Tarot Card Reading

Tarot Card Reading is Simple.

1. Gather Items
Gather together all the items you will need to do your reading, including tarot cards. You want to stay put once you start your reading.

2. Set the Mood
Before you start your tarot reading, consider lighting candles and incense, quietly meditating, or taking some slow deep breaths. This will help you get centered and open. It also creates a sacred space for your tarot reading.

3. Decide on Your Reading Focus
The focus of your tarot reading can be a question or an issue. The key is to choose a question or issue that is very specific. However, you can also do an open tarot reading, where you do not have any question or issue in mind at all -- you simply want to see what the tarot cards reveal to you.

4. Connect with Your Tarot Cards
Once you have your question in mind, begin shuffling the tarot cards in any way you feel called to. This is when you focus on connecting you, your question, and the tarot cards. This connection will help bring you a clear tarot reading. You can also cut the cards, once you feel ready to stop shuffling.

5. Lay Out Your Tarot Cards
Beforehand, you should have a layout chosen for your reading. Tarot reading layouts can be found in books or online. You can also create your own tarot layout. After you have shuffled and cut the cards & feel as though it is time to layout the cards, do so.

6. Interpreting Your Tarot Card Reading
You have many options. Some tarot decks come with books that contain interpretations for each tarot card. It is acceptable to use the book to understand the tarot cards. However, you have other options for reading tarot layouts. You can look at the artwork on each tarot card, seeing it as a picture-show about your question. You can use symbolism and interpret each tarot card. You can rely solely on your intuition, & let your inner voice tell you what each tarot card means. Or, you can see the tarot cards as a story, with the first tarot card the beginning of the story, and the last tarot card the end. It is important to look at each tarot card individually, and at the layout as a whole. In other words, get two perspectives--see the "forest" and the "trees".

7. Further Interpretation
If there are parts of your tarot reading you do not understand, or parts you want more information about, you can layout more tarot cards. For instance, if you don't understand the third card in your layout, you can lay a new tarot card next to it, asking for clarification. Or, if you understand your tarot reading, but have another question or concern, pull a tarot card or two to focus on the additional information.

8. Remembering Your Tarot Reading
You might consider keeping a tarot reading journal where you record each tarot reading you do. List the date, question, and each tarot card in the layout. The benefit of recording your tarot reading is that you can go back later and reread what your tarot reading contained. It also becomes like a diary of your life. If you do not want to do this additional work, you can stay in the moment with your tarot reading and choose not to record it.

9. Ending Your Tarot Reading
End your tarot reading slowly and respectfully. Thank the Universe (or anyone else) for the gui dance you received and pick up your tarot cards, mixing them back in with the deck. You may say a few words to end your tarot reading and clear the tarot cards of the your old question. The idea is to put away a tarot deck that is clear of energy from the last reading, so that when you do your next reading, you are starting fresh. Put your tarot reading supplies (deck, candle, and anything else) away as if you are ending a sacred ritual.

10. Getting Back to Reality
When you do a tarot reading, you are working in sacred space. You are healing yourself and connecting with spirit. Once you're done, you become re-engaged in mundane life. Make sure you are fully present and back in your body before you go back to doing things like driving a car or making dinner. You can shake your body, stretch, take deep breaths, and do other things that clear the energy of the reading event from your body.
Author's

Books You Might Enjoy:

Donald Tyson - Portable Magic Tarot Tarot In The Only Tool You Need
Benjamin Rowe - A Short Course In Scrying
Robert Anton Wilson - Prometheus Rising

How To Develop Your Intuition Using Tarot

The Tarot can be a fantastic way to develop your intuition or give you the confidence to trust your intuition. Ideally, you want to get to a place where your intuition automatically kicks in whenever you need it and you do not have to think about it.

You just know that something is right or wrong and you trust it completely.

Tarot can also help you safely explore potential options before you commit yourself to making a decision and can give you guidance in any area of your life.

Our minds think in pictures and the Tarot consists of images, which makes it one of the most visually powerful ways of connecting directly with your unconscious mind.

A picture literally says a 1000 words and you can get an immediate feeling reaction when you look at a picture.

Pictures are the oldest form of teaching and learning. Pictures tell stories and that is the first way our early learning took place.

Pictures tap straight into the right side of your brain, which is all about creativity, imagination, inspiration, ideas and insights.

The pictures, colours and symbols speak directly to your subconscious mind to give you the answers that are right for you. This is why different people can look at the same cards and give a different interpretation because the cards speak to everyone individually.

The more you can trigger the can trigger the right hand side of your brain, the more you can tap into your intuition or gut feeling.

It is like any muscle. The more you use it, the more it will work for you and the more it will be there for you when you need it.

Our intuition or gut feeling is there to help us all of the time. Sometimes we have so much chatter going on in our heads and so many feelings in our bodies that we cannot hear or feel or see our quiet, all knowing truth.

The Tarot is one of the quickest ways to develop your Intuition or gut feeling and have it on tap 24/7 for whenever you need to make an important decision.

Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed and sit comfortably.

Take a few deep breaths. As you breathe out, breathe out any tension and stress from your day. As you breathe in, breathe in confidence, intuition and trust.
Continue breathing gently until you feel your mind and body relax.

A useful breathing exercise is to breathe in to a count of 7, hold the breath for 7, and then slowly release to a count of 7 and then hold for 7 before taking another breath.

When you feel calm and relaxed, pick up your deck of cards and give them a quick shuffle. Pick out a card at random and notice the first impressions that come to mind.

What thoughts are in your head? Do you hear any instant words? What is the tone of the voice?

What feelings do you get from the card?
Where in your body are the feelings? – heart, head, legs, tummy area, back, other?

Where are the pictures? - inside your head, in front of you? Are they colour or black and white, still or moving?

It is important to notice those very first words, impressions and feelings because if you look at the card for too long, your logical mind will start to analyse the card and you may miss the valuable insights.

Once you learn to recognise the signals that your intuition is using to communicate with you, you can identify them more quickly in another situation.

With a bit of practice you can soon distinguish between the answers from your intuition and the logic of your analytical mind.

Both are important and the analytical mind can be very useful once you have gathered all your creative insights.

Trust those first answers as they will most likely be the right ones for you.

When you feel ready, relax, calm your mind and pick another card.
You start to develop a relationship with your cards and trust them as a tool to access your intuition whenever you want and need it.

Lay a couple of cards of cards side by side and notice the impressions that you get. Observe how the story changes when one card is next to another.

It is helpful to have a Tarot journal, so that you can keep track of any insights that come from your cards.

Over time certain cards will come to have particular meanings for you. These may be very different from any definitions you find in a book. That is brilliant. Go with what you feel is right for you for each card.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Robert Ellwood - The Encyclopedia Of World Religions
Solomonic Grimoires - Lemegeton Iii The Pauline Art
Robert Wang - The Qabalistic Tarot
Paul Foster Case - An Introduction To The Study Of The Tarot
Swetha Lodha - Your Love Life And The Tarot Cards

How Does The Tarot Work And What Are Its Uses

To the rational mind the Tarot makes absolutely no sense. Who would trust a deck of cards, laid out randomly, to offer guidance in any important matter? No doubt that is the reason why the predominate clients, as well as readers are not male; since males tend to be much more linear in their thinking.

However to those who have come to see the synchronicity of life, that nothing happens without a reason, that there is a guiding Force behind everything, the Tarot makes perfect sense. Especially when the Universe is looked upon as not comprised of independent parts doing whatever they will, but of interdependent parts, then that Connection between all things and all action can help explain the process. For instance, today's scientist are finally catching up to the mystics, as quantum physics has shown that no experiment can be objective, that the experimenter's prejudices influence the testing. That there is no separation between the experimenter and the experiment, between subject and object.
The Tarot might be said to do the same, showing the connection between reader and cards. A reading will show what the reader already knows on a subconscious or intuitive level, being that symbology operates from that realm. For example, suppose a man deeply desires a particular person. He is consciously aware of this desire. However, he inquires about his chances of fulfilling this desire to the Tarot. Yet the reading's outcome is the Five of Cups (depicting a sad figure looking down on three spilt cups, while two are full and await ahead of him). Now, unless his desire has so blinded him, his subconscious has communicated to his conscious mind what it already knows and needs. To forget that person and to move on.

What most rational people (critics, if you will) will ask is if the cards were immediately reshuffled would they be the same? Most likely not. The next reading may show the complete opposite answer. How can that be reconciled? If one lives by the premise that everything happens for a reason, then both outcomes have validity. Yet, perhaps not in the way the rational mind interprets it.
The Tarot has many uses, one of those uses, and perhaps its original design, is for the reader to know him or herself. The Tarot, like any book (whether it be holy scripture) or teacher is not there to blindly follow. It's there to reflect upon, like a mirror; to take its counsel inside and to discriminate between which course to take. The man of the example, if he quieted himself and reflected on both outcomes, would no doubt see his attachment to his desire and know he was fantasizing. But the reading would not only show the outcome, it would also show other aspects of his psyche at work. For instance, a card like The Lovers in a position of hindrance, could show this was perhaps an old pattern of looking to another for fulfillment or that it just was not the time to be focusing on romance. Now a few more issues will be needed to be reflected upon by this man, and he will find out more about himself. The Tarot, in this manner, is a great therapist, and much less expensive.

Relationships, too, can be assisted through the Tarot, as it is a way of opening up communication. As relationships progress issues will come up that are generally old issues reemerging. The Tarot will reveal what the blockages are and, more importantly, open up discussions. It can be a wonderful tool for greater intimacy.

Another use of the Tarot, which is more of its mystical aspect, is meditation. Especially with the Major Arcana, by focusing on a particular card and then taking the image into meditation, the aspects that that card represents will gradually come forward. For instance, let us say a woman wanted to bring out more of her intuitive side she might choose the High Priestess to focus upon. Or if she wanted more confidence and self-discipline perhaps the Chariot. Every quality of humanity, as well as the gods and goddesses are represented by the Tarot, from the highest wisdom, compassion and love to lowest greedy aggression and victim playing. So any quality can be brought forth if it is focused upon and desired.
Of course, there is fortune-telling. Many stories exist with a Gypsy reading the Tarot and making predictions, usually with some dire warning or unhappy ending. However, this focuses on merely events, and the Tarot, unless the reader is very psychic, cannot go into great detail. Yet, it can be very helpful in showing probabilities. Remember, back to those quantum physicists who have now demonstrated that nothing can be predicted with a hundred-percent certainty, there exist only probabilities. The Tarot is no different. And the more one delves deeper into the Tarot, one finds that the cards help one to be in the present. After all, one can never get there. Nor leave here.

But perhaps the most important use of the Tarot is simply that it forces one to take time alone, to turn off the television and to disconnect the phone, and to sit quietly and reflect. To get to know oneself, to discover the greatness therein as well as the shadow.

Books You Might Enjoy:

William Wynn Westcott - Numbers Their Occult Power And Mystic Virtues
Anonymous - The Secret Book Of Artephius
Aleister Crowley - The Star And The Garter
John Dee - The Rosie Crucian Secrets

Free Tarot Cards And The Truth About Them

Free tarot readings are readily available online, and are a popular method of fortune telling nowadays. However, are free tarot readings really worthwhile?

Most free tarot readings are computer generated – that is, a computer program randomly chooses which images to display on your screen. Usually, a neutral interpretation of the card that can be applied to any situation accompanies the display. To a skeptic this might appear just as good as a real tarot reading, but to those that actually believe in the abilities of tarot to give love readings, success readings, money readings and so on, this won't do at all. The powers of gravity, the skill of a human reader is required to give a true and accurate reading.

Think of it this way – how well do computers "read" things like text that's entered into them and meant to be parroted back over the speakers? How well do computers translate text between foreign languages? Consider this example of computer-translated text from French: –

"To be or n' to be not, here is the question.... Qu' there of nobler for l' is; heart? to support the blows of sling and the arrows of outrageuse fortune? or s' to arm in war against an ocean with miseries and, of brave fight, to cross there short?"

You can maybe recognize the rudiments of Hamlet's famous speech there ("To be or not to be, that is the question" &c. &c.) but as this demonstrates – no computer can do a job only meant to be done by a human. Computers do not understand things, they only perform tasks they have been coded to perform, and don't have a way to "know" if what they deliver makes sense or not. Is this really what you want to trust your fate to?

Alternately, some online tarot readings are what are known as "canned readings." In these cases, a single reading is created that can apply to most situations, and this same reading is delivered to every client who orders a free tarot reading.

Rarely, one might find a genuine tarot reader offering free tarot card readings. Sometimes this might be a promotional effort, in which case you're in luck as they'll be at the top of their game, trying to cultivate repeat clients. However, in many cases, people offering free tarot readings have something more sinister in mind.

There's a famous con, dubbed by Cat Yronwode "The Gypsy Fortune Telling Scam." In this, a fortune teller (often offering free or low cost readings) informs the client that their problems are due to some kind of magical interference or curse, and then pushes the client to buy from them any number of expensive magical or spiritual services that they claim will remove the supposed curse (which probably never existed in the first place.)

The fact is, most cases I've seen of "free tarot readings online" performed by a real person who wasn't an amateur trying to practice, have been cases of this.

There's an old saying – "You get what you pay for." In the online world, where everything costs money (bandwidth, domains and so on) anything that claims to be free is particularly suspect, free online tarot card reading included.
For those who seek actual spiritual guidance, be warned – don't waste your time on free tarot card readings. Find yourself a genuine tarot reader. Use the following guidelines:

*Look for tarot readers who are knowledgable about the cards.
*Avoid tarot readers who charge hundreds of dollars for one tarot reading. At best, it's going to pay for advertising.
*Avoid tarot readers who use multiple aliases or who own several different fortune telling companies which they try to make appear as unrelated.

With these tips you should be able to find the spiritual service you need.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Tarostar - The Witchs Spellcraft Revised
George Robert Stowe Mead - The Corpus Hermeticum
Rw Rogers - Adapa And The Food Of Life

Different Tarot Decks Designs

Tarot decks were first described in the early 15th century in relation to Martiano da Tortona who mentioned tarot-like games. The motifs on these early illustrations were Greek deities with the suits made of four different types of birds, which differed greatly from the regular Italian suits. These forefathers of tarot decks counted only sixteen cards, but they surely enjoyed great popularity. Later, during the same century other mentions of tarot decks are found in Italian documents. Given the heraldic, social, poetical and philosophical interpretations of the cards, modern researchers are surely impressed by the vividness of the symbolism and the ideology behind it.

The oldest tarot decks preserved to our times were designed according to the specifications of the Visconti family. There are sixty-six cards in the deck and they are displayed at the Yale University Library of New Haven. Another famous deck was painted by Bonifacio Bembo at the request of Maria Visconti, two cards from these tarot decks were lost or missed from the very beginning. These latter tarot decks are known as Visconti-Sforza and their design is very popular nowadays too.
Lots of modern imitations combine batons, swords, coins and cups with trump cards as the clear image of the classic iconography specific to the Renaissance and the Enlightenment.

An analysis of the first-made tarot decks indicates a reduced number given the painstaking effort required for their design. Old tarot decks have survived to our days from Switzerland, Egypt or Marseilles, and the centuries gave them the occult or mystical connotations they have today. Occultism and magic fans were the ones to embrace and widely use the cards for all divination purposes that have passed on to our modern world too.

Some analysts discovered all sorts of origins for the tarot decks with etymologists identifying the Egyptian meaning of the very word tarot: tar stands for royal while ro means road, tarot would thus mean the royal road. According to tradition, Gypsies are said to have spread the tradition of card reading in the first place, but the exact period when tarot decks started to serve for predictive purposes is not clear. What we know for sure is that Eliphas Levi introduced the tarot decks in the English speaking world, initially for aristocrats and then among the middle classes.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Robert Anton Wilson - Prometheus Rising
Aleister Crowley - One Star In Sight
Aleister Crowley - Great Drug Delusion
Aleister Crowley - Thoth Tarot Deck

Death Tarot Card Meanings In Love Tarot Readings

Death is not an ending, but rather is a part of a larger cycle. Although Death is often associated with something that is destructive, it really is an opportunity for something much greater. Death plants the seeds for the growth of tomorrow. Death is an act of generosity as it cleanses and purges the remnants of our old lives.

Traditionally, Death is the card of transformation. It signifies the commencement of profound change. In a Tarot reading, the Death card indicates that another life cycle has ended and a new cycle has begun. It can refer to the completion of important life stages or relationships. However, it often symbolizes metamorphosis. It is the rebirth of one’s psyche. Old beliefs and ideas are discarded for new ones. In essence, it is a metaphorical death, not a literal one. In a tarot reading, Death refers to a transformation that occurs at one’s deepest core.

One common association to the Death Tarot card is the dissipation of a romantic relationship. This is particularly true for relationships that have come to a standstill. This is not always the case. Death is a wake up call. It is reminding us to open our eyes and embrace the world around us. In this regard, it may refer to our own lack of perspective. The Death card encourages you to take a good look at your relationship. It’s quite likely that your old methods of communicating have become outdated. It’s important to acknowledge the areas that you are feeling stuck. The goal is to find a new perspective, a new way of seeing, that will enable the relationship to merge into something new.

In some aspects, the Death card signifies a need to let go. Relationships that resist change tend to get lost and lose momentum. It is at this point that a relationship must be willing to let go of its old identity to form a new one. Major change is inevitable. It’s time to broaden your perspectives and explore new areas and interest that bring you together on an entirely new level.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Thomas Moore - Candle Magick For Love
John Dee - The Hieroglyphic Monad English Version
Israel Regardie - The Art And Meaning Of Magic

Tattva Vision

Tattva vision is a basic exercise of "scrying in the spirit
vision" used in the Golden Dawn system. The use of tattva vision
should not be limited to students of the Golden Dawn and allied
systems because it, as well as other methods of developing the
range of consciousness, is useful to treaders of all paths. Prior
to beginning the tattva vision exercise you should use some means
of cleansing the area in which you will work. This may be any
method of cleansing or banishing, preferably one from your own
discipline, and one with which you are comfortable. In the
Golden Dawn we use the lesser banishing ritual of the pentagram.
The tattvas represent the elements as principles upon which we
may perceive the structure of the universe. They should not be
seen as absolutes, but rather as constructs we use to approach an
understanding of the nature of reality. The tattvas, in spite of
their hindu origin, have become imbedded in our culture, and
relate to existing elements (no pun!) of the western esoteric
tradition. They relate to the alchemical elements, to shapes and
to colors as follows:

tattva element shape color
---------------------------------------------
akasa ether oval black
(indigo)

vayu air circle blue

tejas fire triangle red

apas water crescent silver
(concave up)

prithivi earth square yellow

---------------------------------------


now, to begin experimenting with tattva vision, you will need a
set of five pieces of white cardboard about four inchees square.
This should be white on both sides. On each of the cardboard
squares draw one of the figures as accurately as you can and
color it appropriately. The colors should be as strong and as
brilliant as possible. Poster paints are suitable although not
ideal. Some students use brilliantly colored paper cut to shape
and pasted to the figure. At any rate, you can heighten the
effect of the colors by covering the figures with clear acetate
or other suitable material. To begin the exercise itself, seat
yourself comfortably, relax, and center yourself. You will need
a strong light nearby that you can turn off easily. With the
light on stare at the figure for about half a minute, until you
see a sort of halo around the figure. This is a normal, physical
phenomenon. At this point, turn the card over and stare at the
blank side. You will see an image of the figure on the card in
the complementary color of the original figure. This is, again,
a natural phenomenon. As soon as you see this figure close your
eyes and turn off the light. Now, picture this complementary
figure before you and mentally enlarge it. You may find it
easier to imagine yourself shrinking. Whatever, you will
now have to imagine the figure before you as a doorway to the
astral plane, and will yourself to pass through the doorway. You
may wish to try the Zelator sign as taught in the Golden Dawn
-- stand straight and extend the right arm in something like a
Nazi salute. This is a "projecting" gesture and may help you move
through the doorway. It is important not to simply say to
yourself, "now i am going through the doorway," or to imagine a
figure of yourself at a distance going through, but to imagine
yourself, your here-and-now self passing through the portal.
Once you have succeeded in making the passage (it will probably
take several attempts), it is important to imagine very strongly
the doorway behind you and to fix in your mind its location in
relation to the features of the astral landscape around you.
This is your way back! make your first experiments short ones.
You may extend them as you gain experience. You may enhance the
experience by meditating on the element before you try the
experiment, and by surrounding yourself with materials related to
that element. Use appropriate incense, etc. This little exercise
may be extended to tarot cards, hexagrams, etc. It would be wise
to gain complete control of the present exercise before
attempting the others.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Andrew Lang - Myth Ritual And Religion
Jaroslav Nemec - Witchcraft And Medicine
Aleister Crowley - International
Michael Majerus - Atalanta Fugiens
Aleister Crowley - Ritual Viii

3 Secrets To Reading Tarot Cards

Reading Tarot cards is not really as complicated as it is made out to be – at the same time, it is not that simplistic either. Here we have 78 different cards with a variety of images on them which convey so many things. How can one remember these meanings? How is it even possible to keep a track of all the different interpretations? And in the end, how does one know which meaning to go for during an actual reading?

I am going to tell you a few simple methods of being able to do so. However, it is equally important that one does not remain too rigid in these methods – the lessons in the cards talk about and teach flexibility – they essentially tell us to remain open and aware to what our inner voice or instinct or gut or intuition tells us.

So, are you ready to begin? Here we go:

1. Visual Cues: This is the first step towards deciphering the meanings of the Tarot cards – look at the picture on the card. What is happening in the picture? What feelings does it evoke within you? Pay attention to what are the first impulses in your mind when you see the images. These visual cues will tell you what is going on in your client’s life on the different planes of his existence. For example, look at the image of the 3 of Cups card. We see 3 finely dressed ladies holding their cups high in the air. Around them are fruits and flowers. Straight off, one can guess that they are having a party or a celebration of some sort. So, this may reveal to you that there is a celebration going on in the client’s life.

2. Elemental Cues: Each of the Tarot cards corresponds to a certain element: Wands with Fire, Cups with Water, Swords with Air, and Pentacles with Earth. Each of these elements talks of a different aspect of life: Fire is burning energy and passion, Water is flowing emotions and feelings, Air is the windy thoughts and logical mind, and Earth is solid practicality and money. And of course, let’s not forget the Major Arcana which corresponds to the element of Spirit / Ether, which is the representation of the higher spiritual planes of existence. So, in a reading, when you see a card from a particular suit, you know which aspect of life you are dealing with. And add to it the imagery of the card and its visual cues, and you have your interpretation right there! So taking our previous example of the 3 of Cups, we can see that cups are emotions and feelings.

Plus the visual cues talk of celebrations. So now, we can say that these 3 ladies in the card are also emotionally bonded with each other – they could be friends. This interpretation thus reveals that the celebration in your client’s life is a party with his close friends with whom he can easily share his feelings.

3. How the Card Falls: This is another aspect of the reading – whether the card is upright or whether it is reversed. There are many ways of looking at card reversals – either you can see it as a total opposite of the upright meaning, or you can say that there is a blockage in the situation depicted in the upright meaning. So, continuing with our 3 of Cups card, we can say that in the reversed position this card will mean that either the celebration has gone bust, or that there are problems within the group of friends which does not allow them to bond completely with each other.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Yacki Raizizun - The Secret Of Dreams
Richard Spence - Secret Agent 666 Introduction
Samuel Liddell Macgregor Mathers - The Tarot
Swetha Lodha - Your Love Life And The Tarot Cards
Will Herberg - The Writings Of Martin Buber

3 Easy Tarot Card Spreads

Spreads are the way in which Tarot cards are organized in a formal manner for conducting a reading. Ideally, in a spread, there are a fixed number of cards which are drawn and are placed in a pattern, where each position stands for something. So, depending on the card drawn and the position where it stood at, the reader can interpret the meaning of the Tarot card.

Here, I am going to tell you some easy Tarot card spreads which you can use for simple readings. In each of these spreads, you just lay out the cards in a straight line. But before we go ahead, a little discussion about the methods of drawing the cards: some people prefer to shuffle the deck and make a fan of the cards and draw any random card from anywhere, while some prefer to shuffle the deck and draw the cards from the top of the deck. It doesn’t matter which method you follow – both these methods work, and different readers follow either of these methods.

Without any further ado, these simple spreads are:

1. 3-Card Spread: This is the most basic and straightforward spread of all times. For this spread, draw three cards from a well shuffled deck and lay them out in a straight line. This spread has many different applications. These 3 positions can either stand for ‘Past, Present and Future’ or ‘Situation, Advice and Outcome’ or ‘Option one, Option two, Outcome’ and so on. You can be totally creative with this spread. Also observe the flow of the reading and read in the direction which seems natural to you.

2. 5-Card Spread: This is a step-up on the basic 3-Card Spread. For this draw 5 cards from a well shuffled deck and lay them out in a straight line. Like the previous spread, this too has several applications. For example, the five positions could be ‘Past, Present, Hurdles, Advice, and Outcome’. Here is my favorite position definition for this spread: ‘Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Spirit’ where each element and its practical associations are explored with the card drawn in that position.

3.7-Card Spread: Again a very good and simple spread. Draw 7 cards from a well shuffled deck and lay them in either a straight line or in a horse-shoe pattern. The positions would be: ‘Past, Present, Situation, Hurdles, Advice, Outcome One and Outcome Two’.

Spreads can always be designed and the different positions can be defined based on the question being asked. So go ahead and be creative with your spreads. With these basic spreads, you can very easily do simple readings for yourself or for your friends. Once you have mastered these spreads, you can move on to those spreads which call for more cards and have more different positions.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Tarostar - The Witchs Spellcraft Revised
John Sebastian Marlowe Ward - The Master Masons Handbook
Aristotle - On Dreams
John Dee - The Rosie Crucian Secrets